Konerko: Future uncertain beyond 2013

General manager Rick Hahn wasn't surprised Friday night that the first question in a session with fans at SoxFest was about the departure of popular catcher A.J. Pierzynski.

That inquiry might be the tune-up for next year's gathering, as Paul Konerko expressed uncertainty about his future after the 2013 season.

"There are different scenarios that can play out," said Konerko, who received the loudest cheers during introductions at the Palmer House Hilton as he enters his 18th season and 15th with the White Sox. "But there are so many moving parts to it all that you just can't handicap or gauge how it's going to go because you don't know what's going to happen, how I'm going to feel seven months from now, what I'm going to be thinking, what they're going to be thinking.

"There's so much to that, so many heavy thoughts that you can think about, but the main thing is trying to go out and have a good season."

Konerko, 36, said his left wrist feels fine, nearly four months after a bone fragment was removed. He admitted he wished the procedure had been performed sooner, but he had no inkling he would heal as quickly as he did.

Should Konerko not return in 2014, the pain won't be as acute despite the fact he has played longer for the Sox than departed favorites Mark Buehrle (12 seasons) and Pierzynski (eight).

"I've seen guys like Mark and A.J. have good years," said Konerko, who has hit 415 of his 422 home runs with the Sox. "No one will argue that their last years here, they were still front-line guys. ... And both had a huge desire to stay and finish with the White Sox.

"You put those two things together, and they're not here. So I'm not naive to know how things work either. The main thing is going out this year and doing it right and ... helping this team out. That's what the job description is."

Hahn and several players admitted to disappointment over losing a player of Pierzynski's durability and production from the left side.

But Hahn, who took over for Ken Williams in October, told a small but entertained audience that two sabermetrics sources predicted that Tyler Flowers would have only slightly less productive offensive numbers than Pierzynski and that Flowers' defense would be superior.

Announcer Ken "Hawk" Harrelson told the crowd that two days before Pierzynski signed with the Rangers in December, Harrelson told Pierzynski it was "Flowers' time" and Pierzynski agreed.

Meanwhile, patience paid off for free-agent reliever Matt Lindstrom, whose agreement on a one-year, $2.8 million contract with the Sox was announced three hours before the opening ceremony. The deal includes a $4 million team option for 2014.

Lindstrom, 32, who had a 2.68 ERA in 46 games with the Orioles and Diamondbacks, had a quick reply for why it took so long to sign.

"Because I kept on wondering where the White Sox were," quipped Lindstrom, who said Chicago was his favorite visiting city during his previous six seasons. "It's the first time in my career I actually had an opportunity to choose where I wanted to play, as opposed to having other people make that decision for me."